Amazon, Best Buy follow Toys R Us into used game sales

Retailers Amazon and Best Buy are joining Toys R Us by moving into buying and selling used games.{ad}

Best Buy is reportedly testing its own program at a number of stores around the United States after a successful rollout in Canada last year at its subsidiary Future Shop stores. Little information has surfaced about Best Buy’s program other than that it has dabbled in used game sales before and quickly retired the idea.

For its part, Amazon has launched a trade-in website letting customers ship games to the e-tailer in exchange for gift cards. Its program works much like that for other Web-based retailers like GameFly.

After committing to a trade, the user has one week to send in the game, in working condition, with the complete packaging and manual. Traders will be able to print out a pre-paid shipping label, making the transaction no more expensive than going out to one’s mailbox.

Speaking with his characteristic swagger, GameStop CEO Dan DeMatteo said of Amazon’s venture:

I give the probability of this working at zero … It didn’t work for us, and I can’t see it working for them

But investment site Motley Fool warns GameStop to take the challenge seriously, even if all of these retailers together make up a tiny fraction of GameStop’s video game market share. “[GameStop] shareholders may feel confident in ignoring the assaults coming from all sides. However, as a diehard gamer will tell you, overconfidence can be a game-ender.” writes the Fool, citing GameStop’s record-breaking returns in defiance of economic recession.